One of the largest nuts native to the United States is the `McCallister’ hican found in 1890 in southern Indiana. A natural hybrid between a pecan and shellbark hickory, the `McCallister,’ like other hicans, is propagated by grafting on pecan or hickory seedlings. Hican (pronounced HICK-an) trees have been found in nine states (Illinois, Indiana, … Read more
Peonies are so hardy, and durable. and long-lived that they usually get along with no attention at all. Reasons for Not Blooming Well But you can help yours have better flowers. If they aren’t blooming well, check this list of possible reasons: • Not enough sun (they like it all day) • Newly transplanted (need … Read more
Ask any experienced gardener what he considers one of the most useful groups of garden plants, and he will probably reply, “dwarf shrubs.” New houses, whether traditional or contemporary in design, are low and sprawling, often on one level. Landscaping for these houses requires dwarf shrubs, along with some moderate-growing kinds. Terraces and patios, walls … Read more
The fall of the year, with its cooler weather and more frequent rains, provides perfect conditions for planting trees and shrubs. With the quick pace of spring and the heat of summer now past, we can look forward with renewed zest to our gardening activities, with emphasis on planting. The choice of trees and shrubs … Read more
In last month’s column, we discussed one of the members of that small, select group of trees that bear their ornamental flowers during summer. In this issue, we will consider another member of the same group, one that blooms in August. While quite different from the golden rain tree of July, it is nonetheless equally … Read more
Bush form is the simplest and most common style for fuchsias. The bush may be small or large, but it is always kept compact and uniform. To produce a small bush, start when the plant is young and pinch out the centers of all growing tips as soon as they make two sets of leaves. … Read more
A low-growing perennial that will grow in either sun or shade is a new variety of ajuga or bugle-weed known as “Rainbow”. Noted for its dark, bronzy-green foliage, which combines shades of cream, pale yellow, green, and pink, with brick-red and purplish-red, it requires no particular care or soil and will grow in places where … Read more
Under the glaring sun of midsummer, what could be more cooling than a walk down a shaded path banked by the delicate tracery of ferns? They seem to dispel the heat and lethargy of July and August. Perhaps it is their color—so refreshingly easy on the eyes. Or, it may be the crisp foliage. For … Read more
An article asked, “What kind of a gardener are you?” and set me thinking. My gardening started as a hobby, rest from my work as a seamstress. I began buying gardening magazines while riding the New York subway. Reading the magazine gave me an outlet for the hectic pace of New York City. After reading … Read more
The real fun of pot gardening comes from having an array of mobile plant materials to use in pleasing displays indoors and out. What could be more cooling for summer than a collection of decorative grasses, arranged attractively? The tall grass of Phormium tenax atropurpureum with it’s exciting burgundy color and forms a contrast with … Read more